MAGA Influencers Are Trying to Make a Dunkin’ Boycott Happen for Predictably Pointless Reasons
Pumpkin spice season is almost upon us, but if you were thinking of running to Dunkin’, a call to boycott the coffee franchise might have caught your attention. What’s the deal with the previously #1 trending #BoycottDunkinDonuts? Apparently, it all stems from Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski.
Pavlovski took to X to share what he says are email snippets from Inspired Brands, Dunkin’s parent company, turning down advertisement slots because “the right wing culture of the site is too polarizing from a suitability standpoint today.”
The Inspire Brands representative went on to add that it would be “open to continuing discussion as the brand evolves.” However, that didn’t stop MAGA influencers from calling for a boycott, with many demanding Dunkin’ get the “Bud Light treatment” in reference to Dylan Mulvaney’s partnership with the brand and the ensuing MAGA boycott in 2023. One of the more notable pro-MAGA social media accounts, Catturd, got the ball rolling with an X post encouraging followers to “stick together and turn [Dunkin’] into budlight.”
Pavlovski also shared a redacted email snippet from Diageo North America, stating it would not “approve a platform that has Steven Crowder, Alex Jones, or the like.” Alex Jones, of course, was ordered to pay almost one billion dollars in damages to the Sandy Hook victims’ families after claiming the shooting was a hoax aimed at weakening the Second Amendment. Despite this, Rumble continues to host Jones, who has been banned from other social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and Apple.
In another X post, Pavloski claimed his response to both emails was, “No, we don’t discriminate. All cultures are welcome on Rumble.” In a reply to a follower, he also said, “Rumble is a platform, it doesn’t adopt any single viewpoint or culture, its open to all.”
For a movement that reportedly upholds freedom of speech and rebukes cancel culture, the MAGA outrage feels a bit hypocritical. After all, both Dunkin’ and Diageo are private companies with the power to conduct their businesses as they see fit, as long as they aren’t breaking any state or federal laws. Thus, which companies they choose to advertise with is well within their rights and part of maintaining brand image.
#BoycottDunkinDonuts no longer holds the #1 spot on X. In fact, it has largely been taken over by people supporting Dunkin’s decision to partner with companies that share its values. At the time of writing, Dunkin’ has not responded to the boycott or Pavloski. Diageo also has not commented, but as reported by TimesNowNews, the official Diageo North America X account has been set to private, seemingly due to the controversy.
Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com
